ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated on Tuesday that the suicide bombing in Islamabad, which claimed 12 lives, is a stark reminder that Pakistan is still “at war.”
A suicide bomber detonated explosives outside Islamabad’s Judicial Complex, killing at least 12 people and injuring 30 others, in what authorities described as a terrorist act orchestrated by an Indian-backed and Afghan Taliban–facilitated militant network, “Fitna-ul-Khawarij.”
Officials confirmed that the attacker’s severed head was recovered from the blast site, leaving no doubt that a suicide bomber was involved.
The explosion ripped through outside the Judicial complex, home to several district courts and offices, shattering windows and setting parked vehicles ablaze.
In a post on X, Khawaja Asif described the attack as a “wake-up call” and warned those who believe the army is fighting only in border or remote Balochistan areas to “wake up”.
ھم حالت جنگ میں ھیں کوئ یہ سنجھے کہ پاک فوج یہ جنگ افغان پاکستان سرحدی علاقے میں اور بلوچستان کے دور دراز علاقے میں لڑرہی ھے تو آج اسلام آباد ضلع کچہری میں خود کش حملہ wake up call ھے کہ یہ سارے پاکستان کی جنگ ھے جسمیں پاک فوج روز قربانیاں دے رہی ھے اور عوام کو تحفظ کا احساس دلا…
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) November 11, 2025
He said the blast, which rocked the capital during court hours, underlined that the conflict touches the whole country.
“Pakistan Army sacrifices its lives every day so that the public feels secure and confident,” he wrote, adding that hopes for successful talks with Kabul had diminished in the current climate.
Speaking to reporters later, the minister said the attack delivered a clear message to the state, emphasising the need for a serious and determined approach to counter the threat.
He alleged that militant groups based in Afghanistan — especially the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — were receiving backing from Kabul, adding that those residing there were openly operating against Pakistan.
“If the Afghan government wished, it could stop terrorism in Pakistan,” Khawaja Asif said.
“Bringing terrorism into Islamabad is a deliberate signal, and Pakistan is capable of responding strongly.”
He warned that the militants were attempting to demonstrate that no area of Pakistan was beyond their reach.
The minister added that Afghan authorities appeared to be trying to aggravate the situation and stressed that the state must now take firm and decisive action.
Khawaja Asif reaffirmed that Pakistan has made immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and urged national unity in confronting those responsible.
He noted that although there had once been hope for meaningful dialogue with Afghan authorities, the suicide attack outside the Islamabad courthouse had changed that outlook.
